BLOOD letter

Greetings readers, it's been a long time I KNOW, but I'm here now and it's time to discuss a gorgeous film.

http://vnexpress.net/Files/Subject/3b/bd/18/bf/Thien_menh_anh_hung_(12).jpg

Victor Vu's BLOOD LETTER (Vietnamese title: Thien Menh Anh Hung) is a fictionalised history/ martial arts EPIC, and my god was I impressed. The trailer, with its stylish action sequences and divine cinematography, looks beautiful and I was afraid that would be it... just an awesome trailer. Of course there was hope because Victor Vu already impressed me with his hilarious and well-shot farce BATTLE OF THE BRIDES - the man knows how and when to use special effects, and he knows what's EMOTIONALLY EFFECTIVE (humour included).

Anyway, BLOOD LETTER is thoroughly compelling and has more depth than the trailer advertises. Yes, it is beautiful to look at - I mean, absolutely dazzling - but it offers a lot more beyond the spot-on stage combat and the authentic Vietnamese scenery. The characters are very well-drawn and emotionally interesting; even the villainous, driven empress is given a vulnerable side. Actually, she gives one of the most memorable and nuanced performances, and that's saying a lot considering how superb the cast is.

With martial arts epics, you can learn to expect a grand scene where the protagonist has 'superman' endurance and a 'powerful resolution', but this scene was done rather well with interesting use of special effects to express the protagonist's katharsis. The intricate build-up to this grand scene definitely gets praises, Vu is very poetic and metaphorical with his directions and that worked in the favour of this film.

The dialogue is quite witty and not overly formal (thank heavens). The story has good, though not entirely unexpected, twists, but that's not the script's strongest point. The winning point would have to be the story's depth and the thought-provoking questions that the script offers; what happens when a tyrant is murdered? Is it worth it? Is REVENGE worth it?

P.S. It really is gorgeous, even the costumes. God, I love a costume-drama done right!

P.P.S. I rewatched it (so I watched it twice in three days) and it was still awesome! In fact, it's now an 8.5 or 8.75 from a previous 8! I HAVE to gush over the monologue that mocks the typical monologues in martial arts films where the antagonist just  STANDS there and obdiently listens when he/she can easily kill the [impractical] speaker.